Construction projects
County begins 2021 construction season
Hennepin County is ramping up work for the 2021 transportation construction season. During the year, the county will deliver on several projects designed to get residents around safely and efficiently.
We remind people to allow for extra time and to slow down when traveling past construction sites and county crews.
Two bridge projects and one new road reconstruction project
Reconstruction of the Tanager Bridge required a closure of County Road 15 to begin the project this spring. The project will replace the existing bridge, which has reached the end of its service life, with a new bridge that will be built immediately next to the existing bridge. This is part of an ongoing effort to replace older bridges in the Lake Minnetonka area. Last year, the county completed the reconstruction of the nearby Narrows Bridge.
In North Minneapolis, the Webber 44 reconstruction project is underway to update County Road 152 between Lyndale Avenue and Osseo Road. Locally the road is known by a few names, including Lyndale Avenue, but the two main segments are Webber Parkway and 44th Avenue. The reconstruction work was influenced by extensive engagement with the local community in 2019. The project will update the roadway and add new sidewalks, improve boulevards, enhance pedestrian crossings and update infrastructure, as well as prepare for Metro Transit D Line service along 44th Avenue.
The West Broadway Bridges project will replace three bridges that help connect North Minneapolis and Robbinsdale. Two of the bridges carry County Road 81 traffic, and the third provides an on-ramp from Lowry Avenue (County Road 153) to northbound County Road 81. As part of the project, crews will also improve the experience under the bridge for people driving, walking, biking and rolling.
Other road improvement projects
The county continues to make improvements across our system to improve experiences for all users.
Near NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center in North Minneapolis, the county will continue its efforts to improve the experience for residents using Penn Avenue (County Road 2). A short segment between 12th and 15th avenues will be reconstructed to add medians, accessible curb ramps, updated signals, new utilities under the roadway and narrow the lanes to slow vehicles.
The county is also updating Portland Avenue (County Road 35) between 60th Street in South Minneapolis and 67th Street in Richfield. For this popular bike corridor, there will be new bike lanes. There will also be improvements for people walking and rolling, including accessible curb ramps and new countdown signals. Enhanced bus shelters will be added. And, people driving will have an improved experience with new turn lanes and more durable crosswalk markings.
Also in South Minneapolis, the county will be taking another step in improving the experience for people using Lyndale Avenue (County Road 22). A safety improvements project will improve the crossing experience for people walking and rolling and increase their visibility, as well as reduce number of conflict points for people driving Lyndale Avenue and those walking, biking and rolling.
Along the Midtown Greenway in South Minneapolis, the county will be improve crossing experiences at seven intersections.
Collaborations with MnDOT and the Metropolitan Council
Hennepin County is collaborating with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to improve the experience of people using Highway 12, especially at the intersections of County Road 90 and County Road 92. MnDOT will be working on Highway 12 and County Road 90 this spring,and the county’s work at County Road 92 will begin this fall.
The county is also a partner in two larger regional projects, MnDOT’s 35W@94 reconstruction project, which includes reconstruction of Lake Street (County Road 3) between Blaisdell and Fifth avenues, and the Metropolitan Council’s Southwest LRT (METRO Green Line extension) project.
Crews from cities, MnDOT and utilities will also be working on some of our county roads this season, in collaboration with the county.
How to stay informed
In the next few weeks, crews will begin smaller-scale road and bridge projects including safety improvements, road repaving, restriping and pavement sealing projects, as well as bridge maintenance activities. More information about these projects can be found at www.hennepin.us/roadmaintenance.
Additional projects may be announced during the construction year.
Find out more information about all 2021 county road and bridge projects and activities — and how to stay informed — at www.hennepin.us/residents#transportation.